The late arrival of a former minister at the parliament building without trousers and a security pass has been approved by an ethics committee.
However, concerns have been raised about how confidential details of Gareth Ward’s eyebrow-raising out-of-hours visit ended up in the newspapers.
The former NSW Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services was dressed in boxers and a jumper after locking himself out of his city apartment in Sydney, near state parliament, on July 21.
Mr Ward said he jumped out of bed at around 4am after hearing a noise outside, but locked himself out.
Believing that his chances of getting a locksmith were slim, he went to Parliament to pick up spare keys from his office and was let in by a parliamentary guard.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said in September the behavior was not appropriate.
But a parliamentary ethics committee, most of which were government MPs, disagreed.
The committee reviewed the security report and unanimously concluded that the incident had not raised any complaints, security concerns or other matters requiring further investigation by the House of Commons.
Former NSW Families, Communities and Disability Services Minister Gareth Ward (pictured) has been cleared by an ethics committee after turning up to parliament in his boxer shorts after hours when he locked himself out.
MPs had the right to securely access the parliamentary precinct at any time, committee chairman Alex Greenwich said.
“This also applies if they have forgotten or lost their pass,” the independent MP said.
“If a member does not have their pass with them, the special constables are there to assist them in entering the police station.”
He added that it was concerning that a confidential security report and details of Mr Ward entering the building were provided to the media.
Speaker Greg Piper was urged to strengthen measures that ensure the safety and privacy of members entering and leaving the parliamentary district.
The ethics committee unanimously decided that the incident had not caused any complaints, safety concerns or other matters requiring further investigation by the lower house. Gareth Ward is pictured with former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian
Mr Ward was a minister in the Berejiklian government before going to court after being accused of historic sex offences, which he denies.
At the last election he was re-elected as an independent.
The Kiama MP made headlines in 2020 when he was found naked and disheveled outside his Potts Point apartment late at night after becoming ‘disorientated’ at home due to the effects of a previous general anaesthetic.
An hour later – after escorting Mr Ward inside – police were called back to the apartment after reports that the then minister was wandering outside in his underwear.